Drainage Authorities carry out the continuing battle to
protect land from flooding from both the sea and rivers.

In Lincolnshire the Environment Agency looks after main
rivers and sea defences, and Drainage Boards operate in the low lying Fen
and valley areas maintaining pumping stations and drainage channels, to
ensure that people are safe and that their property does not become
flooded.

Witham Fourth District Internal Drainage Board covers an
area of 40,928 hectares of Lincolnshire. We maintain 702 kilometres of
drains and are responsible for seven pumping stations.

Where do Drainage Boards get their money from? Every farmer
has to pay a drainage rate to the Board, ranging from £2.00 to £12.00 per
acre, depending on the value of the land in each area. In addition District
Councils pay a Special Levy to each Board covering domestic and commercial
properties. The total income of Lincolnshire Drainage Boards was £13
million in 2003/2004.

In the past few years the emphasis has moved away from
improvements solely for the protection of property and increased food
production. The Board now has a duty to further the interests of
conservation and have responded to this in their approach to maintenance
and improvements works.

More recently the Board has had to deal with the effects of
the rapid expansion of urban and industrial development within their area.
Where development has taken place large impermeable areas have been created
increasing both the rate and volume of surface water run
off, often requiring improvements to the drainage system.

Land drainage and flood protection therefore continues to
remain a vital necessity for Lincolnshire and other lowland areas of
England and Wales. Successive governments have recognised that Internal
Drainage Boards continue to be an effective way of meeting the local need
and Drainage Boards look forward to meeting the challenges of the future
and to continue their work for many years to come.